Weblum Blues
by sir wilfrederick
Summary: Keith and Hunk have a much needed talk after escaping the weblum.


"Do you know how to turn off the comms?" Keith asked out of the blue once they were headed back to the castle. Their helmets were discarded off to the side so they could wipe away the sweat dripping into their eyes. "So the others for sure can't hear us?"

"Uh, Keith?"

"I just wanted to talk to you," Keith replied, staring out into deep space. A frown marred his face. "Privately."

Hunk hesitated. "You're not gonna kill me or something, are you?"

Keith shot him a hurt, surprised look. "What? Why would I do that? Besides, I can't pilot your lion. If I killed you, I'd be stuck out here."

Hunk grumbled under his breath, but hit a few buttons to make sure no one could overhear them. Sweat gathered at the back of his neck, dripped from his brow, but he tried to ignore it. "There. Now no one can hear me scream if you decide to go all Galra and kill me—"

" _That_." Venom dripped from his voice as he pushed at Hunk's shoulder and moved to stand in front of him. "That's what I want to talk about."

"Uh..." Hunk wasn't sure where Keith was going with this, but it didn't sound like Hunk would like it. "I don't—"

" _Galra Keith_ this, _Galra Keith_ that," he spit out mockingly. "You keep calling me 'Galra Keith' but I haven't changed! I'm still the same Keith as before—just—you know—" He seemed to lose some steam. Crossing his arms, he flopped against the control board with a frustrated glare. "Just now we know I'm a monster. Or whatever."

Hunk wanted to reach out, but figured it might be a bad idea with how agitated Keith was at the moment. He might stab him, or something. "Keith, buddy, no. You're not a monster just because you're part Galra."

"But you keep _saying_ —" Keith cut himself off, looking to the side to glare at the metal walls there. Hunk waited him out. It was a long moment before Keith started speaking again. "You keep calling me 'Galra Keith' like I'm someone—some _thing_ —different now. You just keep pointing out that I'm one of _them_. It makes me mad and I don't like it."

Ah. It took a moment to gather his thoughts so he wouldn't say the wrong thing, but it was unnerving at how focused Keith was on him, eyes burning through his skin as if he could gaze into Hunk's soul. Right. He couldn't screw this up. First and foremost, though— "I'm sorry," Hunk said as sincerely and earnestly as he could, reaching out to clasp Keith's hands and pull his arms apart so their hands hung between them. Keith tried to pull away, but Hunk gently squeezed his hands. Keith flushed, but Hunk moved on. "I'm sorry that I made you angry and that I was insensitive to your feelings. I didn't mean to do that. I was trying to normalize it."

"Normalize it."

"Yeah. Like, you know when you say something so many times it just kinda loses its meaning?" Keith stayed silent, glaring down at their clasped hands. "And I figured that making jokes would make the others realize that it's not a big deal."

"You mean Allura."

"Yeah..."

With a sigh, Keith softened his glare. "It's not my fault that I'm part monster. I didn't ask to be this way."

"Hey, hey." Hunk pulled on his hands until Keith was standing between his knees and couldn't easily avoid looking at Hunk. "You're not a monster, Keith."

"But—"

"Not all Galra are monsters, right? The Blade isn't, right?"

"... I guess." He tried to pull his hands away, but Hunk kept them protected in his much larger hands. A tear slipped down Keith's cheek.

Hunk used his own hand to wipe the tear away with a gentle thumb. "Hey, now. What's wrong, buddy?"

A shaky breath stole its way from Keith. It looked like he didn't actually want to answer, but he was also resigned that he had to. "I've been alone for a long time," he finally whispered, as if speaking any louder would bring some sort of evil down upon them. "My mom left when I was a baby. Turns out she was an alien, I guess. At least, that's what we can assume—anyway. And then my dad died when I was young. No one wanted to adopt me." He paused, thoughtful, gazing down at their still clasped hands, admiring how pale his hands were in comparison to Hunk's much darker skin. "I wonder if everyone knew on some level that I was— _wrong_. That they could sense something weird about me." He shook his head, as if trying to brush away those thoughts. "And then Shiro came but then he left and then I found him again and then I found you guys and you're kinda like family and I—" He choked on a sharp breath, squeezing his eyes shut. It didn't help to keep the tears at bay. A few slid down his cheeks. "I don't want to lose you guys."

Hunk couldn't take it anymore. He stood, catching a stumbling Keith at the abrupt motion and pulled him into a tight embrace. Their armor clunked and Hunk hated that it felt so impersonal, but they couldn't exactly strip before hugging. That would just be weird. He hoped that this would help, anyway, and cradled Keith's head, burying his fingers into his dark hair, and kissed the top of his head.

"We're not going anywhere."

Keith didn't cry—not like Hunk wanted him to. Crying would probably do the guy some good. But he did hug Hunk back, sniffling quietly as he tried to control himself. Finally, after a long moment, he pushed back and smiled tearfully up at Hunk. "Thanks, man."

"Don't mention it." Hunk helped him wipe away his tears. "The others will come around once the shock wears off, I guess. And I'll stop with the jokes."

"Thanks."

"They'll come around." Hunk laid a hand on his shoulder. "I promise. And I'll defend you from Allura."

A watery chuckle escaped Keith. "Sure, buddy."

"I'm serious!" Hunk plopped down in his seat with a grin. "Though maybe I'll have to defend you from Lance, instead."

"What? Why?"

"Because Lance is always dee-tee-eff aliens."

"Dee-tee-eff?" Keith muttered, almost too himself, with a thoughtful, confused knitting of his brow.

Hunk shifted in his seat. "Yeah. You know... "down to"— _you know_."

"No. I don't. Which is why I'm asking."

"Holy crow." Hunk hid his flushed face in his hands. "He flirts with aliens, right?"

"Okay, and? What does that have to do with this?"

" _Sex_ , Keith! He wants to have sex with an alien." How? How could this situation turn from comforting to downright embarrassing?

"But then where does the 'eff' come in?"

Hunk groaned low, wondering which deity he pissed off to be stuck with this rotten luck. " _Fuck_ , Keith! He wants to fuck aliens!"

Keith couldn't hold it in any longer. He burst out laughing, nearly falling over as he clutched at Hunk's seat for support, screeching about how Hunk should have seen his face. Hunk just stared at him, completely betrayed. Keith had played him! And Hunk had fallen for his sneaky ways. But then Keith stopped abruptly and stared at Hunk, eyes wide and disbelieving.

"Wait."

"What?"

"Do you mean Lance wants to have sex with me?"

Hunk's eyes widened. _Oh shit_. That wasn't supposed to come out. He mimed zipping his lips.

"Hunk! Hunk, buddy!"

"Nope. Sworn to best friend secrecy."

" _You mean I have a chance?_ "

"Oh no." What had he _done_?


End file.
